10 foods that will help you lose weight, part one

By Kat Tancock and Helen Racanelli, web excerpt

Trying to lose weight? Instead of thinking about what you shouldn't eat, focus on the delicious foods that will help keep you satisfied. Here are 10 top picks for foods that can help you lose weight.


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Although cucumbers offer only modest nutritional benefits (a bit of vitamin C, A, and some fibre), this delicately flavoured member of the gourd family goes a long way in bulking up a salad, and making you feel nice and full for few calories. Or if you're in the mood for a crunchy snack, slice them up with the skin on, instead of reaching for potato chips or crackers.


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Grapefruit is a delicious and nutritious sweet-tart snack, breakfast side or salad topping. But researchers have also discovered that eating grapefruit or grapefruit juice daily can aid in weight loss, possibly due to a reduction in insulin levels.


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Packed with fibre, folate and magnesium, this versatile fat-free legume can be a fabulous supporting player of a slimming healthy eating regimen. Lentils, prepared any number of ways, will have you feeling as if you've eaten a meaty, even creamy, dish minus the calories and saturated fat that come with eating meat.

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Oats and oatmeal are high in fibre, which helps you feel full – and satisfied – longer. Plus consumption of whole grains has been shown to aid in weight loss. For the best benefits, fill up on oatmeal for breakfast – try steel-cut oats if you've got the time, or instant oatmeal if you prefer to eat at work (just try to pick the sugar-free kinds and add your own sweeteners).

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If you’re a compulsive snacker with a yen for salt, foods with their natural shells on can help you slow down and savour what you're eating while curbing the craving. For instance, unsalted pistachio nuts, walnuts in the shell, peanuts, and edamame in the pod can help you curb your cravings for saltier, unhealthier junk food. Plus, you're not as likely to overeat if you have to work for your reward.